Life preserver holder



March 15, 19381, c, E, BLOW 2,111,309

LIFE PRESERVER HOLDER Filed Dec. 19, 1936 2 Sheets$heet 1 1 5 /J- m A;

A iiorneys March 15, 1938. c. E. BLOW' LIFE PRESERVER HOLDER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed Dec. 19, 1956 Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED snaresPATENT @FFIQE LIFE PRESERVER HOLDER Capitola E. Blow, Hartford, Conn.Application December 19, 1936, Serial No. 116,805

3 Claims. (0]. 114-190) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in life preserver holders of the type generally similar tothat constituting the subject matter of U. S. Patent No. 924,881, issuedon June 15, 1909.

The primary object of this invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a life preserver holder of the aforementionedcharacter embodying novel means for automatically returning the hingedrack to its raised out of the way position after the life preservershave been discharged or removed therefrom.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a life preserver holder ofthe character described which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use,compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a life preserver holder embodyingthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the rack in loweredposition.

Figure 3 is a View in front elevation of the invention.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of an end portion of the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective of one of the rack connectinglinks.

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical longitudinal section through oneof the lever or arm attaching brackets.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that thereference numeral l designates the joists which support the deck 2 of aboat. Hingedly mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane oncertain of the joists l, as at 3, is a rack which is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 4. The rack 4 comprises end members 5on the lower edges of which slats 6 are secured, said end members 5being attached to the hinges 3. Mounted on the slats 5 are partitions 7,which together with the end members 5, are adapted for abuttingengagement with the lower edges of the adjacent joists I. As illustratedto advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the construction and arrangementis such as to provide compartments 8 for the reception of lifepreservers 9 when the rack 4 is in raised position.

Secured to the joists l which carry the hinges 3 are brackets it towhich arcuate arms II are pivotally connected, at one end, as at 12. Thearcuate arms I i, it will be noted, are mounted for swinging movement ina vertical plane on the brackets ill. The brackets ill are grooved orchanneled longitudinally, as at it, (see Fig. 6) to accommodate thearcuate arms I l.

The free end portions of the arms II are connected to the end members 5of the rack l through the medium of links M. As best seen in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, the links M comprise oppositely turned end portions itwhich are journalled in the arms it and the end members 5 of the rack i.Coil springs it connect the free ends of the arms H to extensions llwhich project longitudinally from one end of the brackets l0. Additionalcoil springs it connect the rack 4 to the joists i which carry thebrackets 1H and the hinges 3, said coil springs It being connected atone end to the end members 5 of said rack 4. Anchored to the rack t atan intermediate point and depending therefrom is a pull rope 19 having asuitable handle 2% on its lower end.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readilyapparent from a consideration of the foregoing. To discharge or removethe life preservers 9 from the compartments 8, the rack 4 is swungdownwardly on the hinges 3 against the tension of the coil springs 16and I8 through the medium of the pull rope i9. After the life preservershave been discharged or removed and the rack 4 has been released, thesprings 18 return the arms H to raised position and the springs 18 swingsaid rack 4 upwardly on the links it. It will thus be seen that acompact but strong and durable arrangement has been provided forreturning the rack 4 to its raised, out-of-the-way position after thelife preservers have been removed.

It is believed that the many advantages of a life preserver holderconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be readilyunderstood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails of construction and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:-

l. A life preserver holder comprising a rack hingedly mounted beneath asupport for swinging movement in a vertical plane, arcuate armspivotally connected, at one end, to the support, links pivotallyconnecting the rack to the free end portions of said arms, coil springsconnected to said arms for yieldingly supporting said arms in raisedposition, and coil springs connected to the rack for yieldinglysupporting said rack in raised position on the arms.

2. A life preserver holder of the class described comprising a rackhingedly mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane beneath asupport, brackets rigidly secured on the support and includinglongitudinal extensions at one end, arcuate arms pivotally connected, atone end, to the other ends of the brackets, said brackets havinglongitudinal grooves therein accommodating the arcuate arms, linkspivotally connected, at one end, to the free end portions of the arcuatearms and at their other ends to the rack, coil springs connected, at oneend, to the bracket extensions and at their other ends to the free endportions of the arcuate arms for yieldingly supporting said arcuate armsin raised position, and coil springs connected, at one end, to thesupport and at their other ends to the rack for yieldingly supportingrack in raised position relative to the arcuate arms.

3. In combination with a deck structure including spaced joists, a rackhingedly mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane beneath saiddeck structure, said rack including end members hingedly connected tocertain of the joists, slats mounted on said end members,

partitions mounted on said slats, said partitions and the end membersbeing adapted for abutting engagement with the lower edges of the joistsand, in conjunction therewith, defining compartments for the receptionof life preservers, and means for yieldingly securing the rack in raisedposition beneath the deck structure, said means including bracketsrigidly secured on said certain joists, said brackets comprisingextensions projecting longitudinally from one end, substantial- 1yarcuate arms pivotally connected, at one end, to the other ends of saidbrackets, the bracket having longitudinal grooves therein accommodatingthe arms, coil springs connected, at one one end, to said certain joistsand at their other ends to the end members of the rack.

CAPITOLA E. BLOW.

